Coordinating Maritime and Investment Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan reminded the authority to maintain the positive momentum of economic recovery whilst ensuring sustained vigilance during the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

“We must maintain the momentum of economic recovery, and we should not become paranoid by the presence of the virus despite maintaining our vigilance,” Pandjaitan stated at the national coordination meeting and the 2021 Investment Service Award event here on Wednesday.

The coordinating minister pointed out that Indonesia had successfully achieved positive economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic by recording an economic growth of 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2021 and an increase in the consumer trust level as well as achieved the highest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) level in last October despite the enforcement of various activity restrictions.

Despite the positive economic growth, Pandjaitan, concurrently serving as the deputy head of the National COVID-19 Handling and Economic Recovery Committee, reminded officials to remain cautious to prevent another COVID-19 case surge that would lead to the imposition of curbs on activities.

He highlighted the positive collaboration among stakeholders that had successfully helped to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia and helped the country to achieve the highest COVID-19 handling score among ASEAN countries.

“Among ASEAN countries, only Indonesia has successfully clocked the best score that we have maintained to the 126th day,” the coordinating minister noted.

Pandjaitan urged all parties to maintain the positive development and avoid a surge in COVID-19 cases that would overshadow all achievements clocked until this day.

“We must ensure that the case surge in July, when the number of positive cases had increased, from three to four thousand to 56 thousand in just 12 days and when we received condolences messages daily, must not be repeated,” he remarked.

The coordinating minister reminded that despite the effects of positive economic growth only being felt in the following months, the international community had lauded the COVID-19 handling mechanisms and economic recovery in Indonesia.

“The international community has applauded our work despite our own people often viewing our effort with cynicism,” Pandjaitan pointed out.

Source: Antara News